"He is not here right now, do you want me to go run him down?"
(would they take "run him down" to mean "run him over" or "find him")
"See you later, alligator" which sometimes sounds like "Seylagtar" when I say it.
(what would they think being called "alligator")
I basically want to know how much I can talk like I normally do, when I go there one day, and be understood....
Should I stick to plain and simple English?
2006-07-05 16:01:56 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
A: Find him, but we usually say, would you like me to track/hunt him down. We don't usually run people down only when we've drank 2 much.
B: Alright Crocodile, very common in Ireland. No worries with that one.
Just smile, be funny and don't renege on your round at the bar and the Irish will love you!
I can see how u would be lost with our phrases check out http://www.irishabroad.com/Culture/Slang/irishslang.asp#1
and you'll be Suckin' diesel in no time!!
2006-07-05 16:18:59 · answer #1 · answered by ohwiseone 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I moved from the USA to a different, English-speaking country. Trying to communicate (two years later) is still "a trip" ! LOL .... My very correct American English is incomprehensible at best, and rude at worst ! My redemption is that I always smile and try to be positive. The people I know overlook my 'aggressive, in-your-face' dialect because I am, after all, "(just) an American". They use that term endearingly. Americans are not as tolerant as other societies.
I think you will find the same challenge in Ireland, but language differences will not prevent you from being accepted. I spend an hour or so every day laughing at myself and my mis-communications.
So, the answer is : just be yourself. People can overlook a lot of faults, but they recognize genuine people and are "turned off" by pretension. Good Luck !
2006-07-05 16:22:51 · answer #2 · answered by SpongebobRoundpants 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Run him down - Go find him
DO NOT say see ya later alligator, that is just sad in any part of the UK.
Plain and simple English is good, do not try to imitate the accent as that really winds a lot of Irish folk up.
PS Don't mention potatoes!
2006-07-05 16:05:41 · answer #3 · answered by David M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plan and simple English? Do you think that Irish people are stupid? Yes, you will be understood, no matter what you say, or what accent you have. Please feel free to visit the country and be amazed at the tolerance that we also learned in school while we were being taught English...
2006-07-05 18:38:05 · answer #4 · answered by S 28 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being Irish myself, ur biggest fear is not us understanding u, but u understanding us. We do, believe it or not, have granda tv and bbc here so we understrand ur english and mannerisms quite well. But untill u get irish channels like RTE and network 3 tunned into ur own box, id be worrying about understanding us.
2006-07-05 16:19:03 · answer #5 · answered by jss_121 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's smart to stick with standard dialect English. Much easier to communicate, and you'll get much less "WTFs".
2006-07-05 16:05:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the Irish speak English quite well and will understand you, no fear..........
2006-07-05 16:05:11 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋